Best Friends
by Ghostwriter
Summary: The Venturis see a new side to Casey who ends up rekindling an old romance when her best friends visit.
1. Surprise

BEST FRIENDS

AUTHOR'S NOTE\DISCLAIMER

Takes place after _Mice And Men_. **Not** a crossover with Nightmare on Elm Street, though it's mentioned several times by Casey and her friends as well as some scenes that are there as an homage. This is merely a story where Derek and the others see a different side to Casey. Friends mentioned here are from Casey's old neighborhood. LWD belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. I own whatever you don't recognize. I'm not sure where Casey lived before Nora's marriage, but I'm thinking it was probably a couple of towns over since she and Lizzie had to change school districts.

CHAPTER ONE: SURPRISE

Casey MacDonald cheered with everybody else as they raced out of J. Thompson High. Finally, they were out. The school had just announced a four-day weekend. The unexpected holiday was made even better by the knowledge that her best friends were coming over the next day to visit her. Suddenly, someone jostled her and she fell down.

"Oh, terrific," she said sarcastically.

"Are you okay?" her best friend, Emily Davids asked, helping her friend up. Casey dusted off her lavender sweater and brown jeans.

"Yeah, I'm all right," Casey replied. Meanwhile, a 1957 red four door Chevy Bel Air was making its way downtown.

"Casey's gonna be so surprised to see us. She wasn't expecting us until tomorrow," Alexandra "Alex" Chambers stated. She was wearing a black and green striped shirt with a dark blue denim skirt.

"Yeah, but I'm sure she'll love it," Jackson "Jack" Fairbanks agreed as he made a turn. He was wearing a white t-shirt and pale blue jeans.

"No kidding. It sure was nice of your folks to let us stay with you in the hotel," Alex said.

"Yeah, no problem," Jack responded. After driving a little while longer, the school came into sight.

"Let me out here," Rodney "Rod" Lane requested.

"What? Why?" Jack asked.

"Just do it!" Rod barked. Jack did as requested and the other boy hopped out.

"Rod, what are you going to do?" Alex wondered.

"I'm gonna give Casey a proper Elm Street welcome," Rod responded. Just then, Casey noted an old Chevy stopping front of the school.

"Oh, my gosh!" she gasped.

"What?" Emily wondered.

"I don't believe it!" Casey exclaimed. Ignoring Emily's look of confusion, Casey raced to the car.

"Hi, everybody," she greeted as Derek, Emily, and Sam Chambers came into earshot.

"Hey, girl," Alex commented.

"What's up, Case?" Jack asked.

"Nothing much," Casey responded. Then, looking at the two, "Are you guys the only ones here?"

"No. Rod's around somewhere," Alex responded.

"Oh, I see," Casey said, trying not to show her disappointment. She wondered why he wasn't with the others. Was he maybe coming tomorrow as planned? Suddenly, there was a rustling.

"What was that?" Jack wondered. Everyone looked around, and Casey frowned.

"Oh, well. I guess---" she was cut off as something knocked her to the ground from the side.

"And it's Rod Lane bringin' down MacDonald three yards from the goal line!" a voice yelled.

"A brilliant play by Lane, and the fans go wild," Casey grinned and then made the noise of a cheering crowd. Rod smirked as he helped the girl up. She stared at the boy who was wearing his customary outfit of a black leather jacket, white shirt, black jeans, and black biker boots.

"How you doin', Rod?" Casey asked, trying to ignore the sudden flip-flop of her in stomach.

"I'm good. You?" Rod replied, resisting the urge to tap his foot. _Why am I so nervous? It's just Case_, he thought to himself.

"Just great...for someone who's constantly being used as a football," Casey stated. _Okay. If I make jokes, he won't see how nervous I am_, she thought.

"Ah, bite me with a twirling lawnmower," Rod stated, relieved to be partaking in their usual banter.

"Nyah. You say such sweet things, Rod," Casey told him after making an unladylike noise. Derek, Emily, and Sam watched the whole thing in surprise. Why wasn't Casey getting on this guy's case? If **Derek** had acted like that, she would've totally chewed him out.

"Come on. You can give directions your house," Jack invited as Rod hopped into the car and helped Casey in.

"Well, how'd you find your way here?" Casey questioned as the car started off.

"Map Quest," Jack replied.

"And you didn't do that for my house 'cuz---" Casey began.

"'Cuz we didn't think of it," Alex interrupted.

"And besides, if we **had**, I wouldn't have been able to give you an Elm Street welcome," Rod said, pulling her close.

"Oh, Rod," Casey said, looking down and tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"So, those directions?" Jack asked.

"Oh, right!" Casey exclaimed and then began giving out the details.


	2. Elm Street Kids

DISCLAIMER

LWD belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. I only own the plot.

Back at the MacDonald\Venturi residence, George and Nora were grilling Derek as to where Casey was.

"Dad, I don't know where she is. Sam, Emily, and I saw her get into an old red Chevy with three other kids---one who looked like a delinquent," Derek stated. George was about to ask another question when the door opened and Casey and her friends traipsed in as everyone turned to watch.

"Five, six. Grab your crucifix," Alex said.

"Seven, eight. Gonna stay up late," Jack stated.

"Nine, ten. Never sleep again," they all finished with a laugh.

"Those are the kids!" Derek exclaimed.

"Hi, kids," Nora acknowledged.

"Hey, Mrs. M," Rod grinned.

"Venturi, Rod," Nora reminded him.

"Right. Mrs. V, Mrs. V. I gotta remember that," Rod said. The woman chuckled.

"Who are you?" George wondered.

"Oh, I'm sorry, George. These are my friends, Jack, Alex, and Rod," Casey responded, pointing to each in turn.

"So you kids are here visiting Casey?" George wondered.

"Yeah. We all thought it was about time that we paid a visit to the Elm Street Queen," Rod declared, slinging an arm around Casey.

"Really? I'm still the Elm Street Queen?" Casey asked.

"Uh, yeah," Alex responded, in a "duh" voice.

"Elm Street Queen? Can you be even **more** lame?" Derek sneered.

"Hey Case, who's the geek?" Rod asked.

"My stepbrother," Casey replied.

"**This** is your stepbrother?" Rod asked with a disbelieving laugh.

"Yeah, I know, I know. I got stuck with a geek," Casey moaned.

"Says the girl who studies twenty-four-seven," Derek sneered.

"Hey! Case here's a life-saver. I'd be flunkin' if it weren't for her," Rod said defensively. He gave the girl a squeeze and she leaned into him.

"You're getting awfully close to Casey, aren't you?" George questioned.

"Oh, Georgie. Leave them alone. Rod and Casey used to date," Nora scolded.

"So, what is there to do around here?" Rod wondered.

"Oh, come on! I'll show you!" Casey exclaimed. She grabbed Rod's arm and dragged him out front. Jack and Alex laughed and followed them.

"Looks like they're about to rekindle something," Jack whispered to Alex.

"That'd be neat. The Elm Street Kids all together again," Alex approved. They laughed. Momentarily surprised, Derek stood where he was. Then, he hurried after them. Hearing pounding feet, the group looked over their shoulders.

"Hey, why's the geek followin' us?" Rod wondered.

"How the heck should **I** know?" Casey responded.

"Oh, you shoulda been at the block party last weekend," Rod told her, changing the subject.

"What happened? What happened? Spill, spill, spill," Casey urged excitedly.

"Well, Perkins was throwin' his usual shingding and you know him---" Rod began.

"Oh, total bore," Casey interjected.

"Exactly," Rod agreed. "Anyway, we're all just kinda standin' there, **tryin**' to make nice, when some guy does a somersault over a car---" the boy went on.

"No!" Casey exclaimed.

"Yeah! And he and his buddies had a boom box and they cranked up an AC\DC cassette full blast---" Alex piped in.

"Oh!" Casey squealed.

"There ended up being **ten** cop cars," Jack finished.

"Ohhhh. I wish I'd been there," Casey sighed enviously.

"Puh-leeze! If you had been there, you'd be all "This is disgusting and barbaric!" blah, blah, blah," Derek scoffed, joining them.

"Are you kiddin'? If the Queen had been there, there woulda been **twenty** cop cars," Rod told him.

"Totally," the others agreed.

"And mixed with the King---" Casey and Rod made exclamation and slapped five. Derek looked at them in confusion. This was a side of Casey he had never seen before and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. He listened as Casey and her friends continued to talk and the group ended up at the neighborhood park.

"Hey, do you remember when we'd meet at the Dairy Queen?" Casey remembered fondly.

"Yeah. The manager would threaten to throw us out like, ten times a month," Rod chuckled.

"But he never did," Alex recalled.

"Of course not. We were his most faithful customers," Jack stated. They chuckled as Derek stared them in confusion. What were they talking about? He had never seen Casey like this. Jack looked at his watch.

"Unfortunately, we have to book. Otherwise, my dad will flip," he stated. Everyone groaned and Derek could feel a smirk coming on. _Figures. They're Casey's friends, so they're dorks_, he thought to himself.

"You guys go. I'm feelin' restless tonight. I wanna prowl," Rod declared.

"Okay, bye," the others chorused.

"Oh, that sounds so fun," Casey enthused at the same time.

"Wanna join me?" Rod offered as the others walked away. Derek scoffed.

"You asked the wrong girl, man. Casey's not gonna stay out late," he stated.

"You got a date, Rod," Casey said. Rod started and turned towards her. _Oh, why did I say that? We're just friends now_, she thought frantically.

"Date?" Rod repeated. _She---she feels the same way?_ he wondered. Casey watched as Rod's lips curved into a smile. "Yeah. 'Date' sounds nice," he agreed. With that, he slung an arm over her shoulder and they walked off together, leaving a speechless Derek behind.


	3. Late Night Date

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

Lilio: Here's more.

Funnechick: Me too. Thanks, glad you liked. Keep readin'. Hope this is soon enough.

Volcomhottie05: Thanks. Hope this is soon enough.

Thugalet: I'm glad. Hope this is soon enough.

BeeDiddy (ch1): Thanks. Hope this is soon enough.

DISCLAIMER

LWD belongs to Canadian Television. I just own the plot. Any opinions stated about any NOES film is purely my own and I've only seen the first, third, and Wes _Craven's New Nightmare_. I **did** steal a line from Buffy, but only 'cuz I think it's perfect for Rod.

Later that night, Casey and Rod walked around town.

"So this is your new town," Rod commented.

"Yeah, not ideal, but it's nice," Casey commented. She blew out a breath. "I've really hated not having you guys around," she confessed.

"We've missed you too," Rod said casually. He looked at her, gauging her reaction.

"Thanks for that," Casey countered. Rod sighed. She hadn't caught the meaning. He stopped her, earning him a confused expression from the girl.

"**I**'**ve** missed you," he emphasized. Casey tried to swallow, but found that she couldn't. The way Rod was looking at her: it was as intense as it had been when they had been a couple. Her stomach flip-flopped again.

"I've missed you too," she declared with realization. Rod leaned in close and Casey tilted her head up to meet him. Their kiss wasn't hot, heavy, or passionate, but sweet and chaste. Just like always. Casey's fingers traveled upward to wrap themselves around Rod's ringlets of hair.

"Shoulder-length. Just the way I like it," she murmured. He chuckled. Then, he pulled away.

"Come on. I'll buy you an ice cream," he stated. They continued walking down the street, stopping only long enough to get two ice creams. Presently, Casey began humming. Rod laughed.

"Three, four, better lock your door," he sang.

"Five, six, grab your crucifix," she added. They laughed again.

"That's such an awesome movie," Casey commented.

"Yeah. The original and the Wes Craven one were the best," Rod declared.

"The other ones weren't exactly up to par," Casey agreed. After a while, Casey shivered. Immediately, Rod removed his jacket and put it around Casey's shoulders.

"Always the gentleman," she fondly said as she put her arms in the sleeves. They continued walking for a few minutes,

"Mmm. Good," Casey moaned blissfully.

"Yeah, it **does** taste good," Rod agreed, and then he snagged a bite of her chocolate ice cream.

"Rod!" Casey laughed.

"Mmm. I love swirl," Rod stated through a mouthful of ice cream. They continued walking and eating until the cones were gone. Momentarily, Casey paused under a street lamp to check her watch. Her eyes widened.

"Whoa! It's eleven o'clock!" she exclaimed.

"Yikes. I better get you back," he stated. "Good thing you don't live far," he continued. With that, they turned back towards the direction they had left and hurried towards Casey's house. When they got there, they saw that the light was still on.

"Uh-oh. It looks like they've been waiting up for me," Casey said nervously.

"Ah, it'll be okay. Your mom's cool," Rod said. Casey started to take off the jacket.

"Nah, keep it. Looks better on you," Rod told her.

"Plus, you probably have a spare," Casey stated. Rod chuckled and nodded. Casey went up to the door and turned the handle.

"Casey, do you have any idea what time it is?" George scolded as they came in. Behind Nora, Derek smirked.

"Yeah, Casey. It's eleven o'clock. **Way** past curfew," he added.

"Derek, shut it," George snapped.

"I'm sorry, Mr. V. It was totally my fault," Rod apologized.

"Well, it was mine too. I just---wasn't looking at the time," Casey chimed in.

"Oh, Georgie. Don't be so hard on her. Casey's never missed curfew before and it's not like it's a school night," Nora said. George blew out a breath. What his wife said was true, but he had been pretty worried when Casey hadn't been home at her normal time. What if something had happened to her? Derek stared at Nora in surprise. Why wasn't she angrier at Casey? If **he** had pulled this kind of a stunt, he'd be grounded for a month.

"I---better get back. Mr. F's probably ready to tan my hide," Rod chuckled. Casey laughed. _Rod in trouble. What else is new?_ she thought fondly.

"So…see ya tomorrow?" she asked, getting a pen and paper and writing her name and cell phone number on it.

"You know it, Case," he promised as he took the offered paper.

"Wake me up?" she queried.

"Always," he responded. Then, he walked out. Casey messed up her hair with a hand and yawned.

"I'm going to bed," she told them.

"Good night, Sweetie," Nora responded. Casey walked up the stairs and to her room. She sat on her bed and pulled the leather jacket closer to her body.

"Mmmmm. It's good to be the queen," she said happily. Then, she changed into her pajamas and went to bed.


	4. Disagreement

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

Windyfontaine: Thanks. Yep. Well, she was never actually thrown out. She was just threatened with that punishment. Thanks. Yep. Keep readin'. Here's more.

MHxxPAPER DOLL: Glad you think so. That will be explained later on in the story. Thanks. Lol. Here's more. Thanks.

Eliza (ch 1): Probably Mickey Stu. But, if you don't like it, just don't read it.

Thugalet: Thanks. Hope this is soon enough.

Funnechick: Thanks. Glad you think so. Glad you like. Oh, yeah. Well, maybe. Hope this is soon enough.

SoulmatesDC: Thanks. Nosiness. Not plannin' on it. I like it, but I'd be no good at writin' it. Yeah, I know what you mean. Thanks. Wait no more.

Nunda: Thanks. Glad you think so. Thanks. Here's more.

DISCLAIMER

LWD belongs to Canadian Television. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. I'm off for Christmas, so you may see a lot more of me. Slight references to "Babe Raider" and "Battle of the Bands".

The next morning, Casey woke up to the ringing of her cell phone, which she had left on the night before. With a moan, she reached over to her dresser and picked it up.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Gonna get you," a voice said. Even in her sleepy state, the girl knew exactly who it was.

"Does that mean you're my boyfriend now?" she asked. Rod laughed.

"It sure does," he confirmed. Casey yawned.

"I'm sorry. Too early?" Rod asked.

"Never," Casey replied, getting out of bed. "So, what's on the agenda for today?" she queried as she proceeded to get dressed.

"Nothin' much. Just hang out mostly," he responded.

"I know a place we can eat…if you're interested," she told him.

"Always," he responded. The two teens continued to talk as the girl went about her morning routine. When she was done, Casey went downstairs.

"You mind picking me up?" she requested.

"Never," he answered. Casey retrieved a pencil and paper, wrote out a note explaining her plans, and then went outside to wait. A few minutes later, there was a rumble as Jack's car came into view. Casey quickly got in and Jack drove off.

"Now, where's this place you were telling Rod about?" Jack asked. Casey gave him the directions and they were there in no time. The teens went in and sat at a table. Presently, a waitress came and took their orders. Jack got eggs and bacon, and an orange juice and Alex ordered waffles, sausage, and an apple juice. Rod requested pancakes and a coke, while Casey chose a fruit plate and a sprite.

"A fruit plate?" the others chorused.

"What do you really want?" Rod prodded.

"I'll get a waffle with it," Casey stated.

"Now **that**'**s** our girl," Rod approved. The waitress wrote down what each person had chosen and walked away. Casey blew out a breath. This was nice. Just a meal with her and her friends. Rod drummed out a beat on the table.

"Is that one of your new ones?" Casey queried.

"Yeah, it's a little somethin' I've been workin' on," Rod confirmed.

"Well, when you're done, do you think I could have a listen?" Casey asked.

"Of course," Rod responded. The conversation paused when their food came. But, as soon as the waitress was gone, it started back up. Meanwhile, back home, the rest of the MacDonald\Venturi clan had woken up to discover Casey's absence.

"Well, where is she?" George wondered.

"She's out with her friends. They went to breakfast," Nora replied, glancing at the note.

"And you're okay with that?" Derek questioned. "I mean, she doesn't even ask. She just does it," he continued.

"Derek has a point, Nora. We'd never approve of this kind of behavior from him," George agreed.

"Okay, I'm not denying that Casey should've waited until we were up to **ask** us if she could go with them, but on the other hand, she's been nothing but good ever since we moved here. She deserves to blow off a little steam," Nora stated.

"What do you mean by that?" George questioned. Nora looked at the kids, and then at her husband.

"George, can I talk to you privately?" she requested.

"O…kay," he answered. Nora took George's sleeve and led him to their room. After a moment, Derek, Lizzie, Edwin, and Marti followed them and stopped at the door.

"I don't understand you, Nora. Why are you letting Casey act like this?" George wondered.

"George, Casey's just blowing off a little steam. She's been extremely lonely here," Nora responded. The kids looked at each other. They knew Casey wasn't all that popular and she probably still missed her old friends a lot, but that still didn't explain her actions.

"Who are these kids? They don't exactly seem to be Casey's type of friends…especially that Rod character," George continued.

"Dad's got a point there," Edwin whispered to Derek.

"Ssshhh!" Derek hissed, smacking him lightly. Although, he had to admit, he was with Edwin on this one. This Rod guy was **totally** not Casey's type, and yet she was all over him. They heard Nora laugh softly.

"Oh, Georgie. Rod and Casey used to date," she corrected him. Edwin, Marti, and Derek looked at each in surprise. Rod and Casey had dated?

"Oh, please. Don't tell me you're all that surprised. She's was more comfortable when she was dressed as a rocker chick," Lizzie reminded them. That gave the Venturi boys pause. It was true. Even though she never said anything, she **had** seemed more comfortable when she had dressed like Babe Raider and when she had picked an outfit for the J. Thompson High's band competition. The siblings listened as their parents continued arguing.


	5. Hanging Out

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

BeeDiddy (ch 3-4): Thanks. Here's more. Thanks. Hope this is soon enough.

Windyfontaine: Me too. Thanks. Well, here you go. Yep, depending on how fast I finish my two current fics.

Funnechick: Yeah, I know. It wasn't my best. Here you go. Hope this is soon enough.

MHxxPAPER DOLL: Yep. Yes, they do. That's right. Thank you.

DISCLAIMER

LWD belongs to Canadian Television. I only own characters you don't recognize. I don't know what the LWD town has because they've only shown the MacDonald\Venturi house and the school, so I'm takin' liberties. I plan to work on other stories that I've placed on a disk as works in progress, but it depends on how long these stories take. And I forgot to put in, but Casey has her own money.

Later that day, Casey and her friends convened at a roller-skating rink.

"Oh, wait. Guys. You know I'm no good at this," Casey fudged.

"Come on. You'll be fine," Rod enticed.

"Yeah, you're the Elm Street Queen," Alex responded.

"That means you can do anything," Jack added. Casey laughed.

"That's true," she agreed. "Okay, let's go," she stated. With that, they went into the arena, up to a counter, and ordered skates. When they got the footwear, they headed out to the rink. Then they paired up: Jack and Alex, and Casey and Rod. The foursome maneuvered around the rink. Casey laughed as Rod led her around.

"Feels good, huh, girl?" he queried.

"Totally," she agreed. _Oh, I feel so free_, she thought to himself. She **never** felt this way with Emily or Sam. They just---they just never really understood her. Her Elm Street friends did. She could be herself with them.

"So tell me, what does the Elm Street Queen do on a regular basis around here?" Rod wondered.

"Fight with my stepbrother, do my homework like a good little girl, and basically try not bash in my head out of sheer boredom," Casey replied with a slight sigh. Rod laughed.

"Well, why don't you raise a little Cain?" he questioned.

"'Cuz it's not the same without you," she responded. "They wouldn't get it. I mean---who else share my obsession with _Nightmare On Elm Street_?" she continued.

"Ah, come on, girl. I bet you could've found others," Rod encouraged.

"It wouldn't have mattered anyway. It wouldn't have been the same," Casey declared. Rod fell silent. She was right. It hadn't been the same since she had left. No one could take the place of his queen. The four teens continued to move around the place. Two hours later, after turning in their skates, when Casey was getting food for the group, she ran into Sam and Emily, who were also getting meals.

"Hey! Did you guys just get here?" she asked.

"Yeah. Some of the guys wanted to go skating while Derek and some of the others hung out at the sports store in the mall," Sam responded.

"And my little brother had a bunch of energy, so my mom suggested we all come here," Emily added.

"Oh, cool," Casey replied.

"Here ya are," the food clerk said, handing over the food.

"Whoa! You're gonna eat all that?" Sam asked. Casey laughed.

"No! Not by myself! It's for the others," she corrected him.

"What others?" Sam questioned. Casey didn't answer, but went to a table.

"Feeding time! Come and get it, boys!" she called as she sat down. Almost immediately, Jack, Alex, and Rod walked up.

"You been watchin' _The Lost Boys_ again?" Rod chuckled as everyone took their seats.

"Dude, eat it or lose it," Casey responded.

"Ah, bite me with a twirling lawnmower," Rod said.

"Nyah," Casey replied.

"You always say the same thing, Rod," Alex commented.

"So?" Rod asked.

"Nothin'. I'm just sayin'," Alex declared. Rod's only response was to throw a French fry at her. Alex retaliated by throwing a piece of her own food at him, which landed on Casey's shirt.

"Hey! Get better aim!" she exclaimed, making her own attack.

"Stop. You're gonna get us kicked out and this ain't the Elm Street Dairy Queen," Jack reminded them. Sam and Emily could only stare in confusion as the foursome resumed eating. Casey wasn't the type to participate in a food fight. Why was she starting now? Just then, Sam noted what Casey was wearing over her shirt.

"Hey, is that a new jacket?" he questioned.

"Yeah. Rod gave it to me the other day," Casey answered, looking at the dark-haired boy.

"Hey, anything for the queen," Rod stated.

"'The queen'?" Emily echoed.

"We ruled Elm Street. Rod and Casey were the leaders: the king and queen," Alex answered.

"Yeah. All the guys looked up to Rod---" Jack began.

"And all the girls looked up to Casey," Alex finished. It was then that they noticed that their food was gone.

"All right. Let's kick it," Rod decided. With that, they got up and headed out.

"Where to?" Jack asked.

"How 'bout the mall?" Alex suggested.

"Okay, then. The mall it is," Rod decided. Sam and Emily watched as they headed out to the parking lot. At the mall, Derek was in a sports store with a group of his hockey buddies.

"This looks pretty cool," one of the guys commented, looking over a hockey stick.

"How does it handle? Is it heavy or light?" Derek questioned.

"A little bit of both, actually," the boy said.

"Dude, it can't be both," Derek corrected. Just then, they heard wild whooping.

"What the---" In confusion, Derek and the others hurried out of the store. To their surprise, Casey was with three other teens, who were acting wildly.

"Dude, is that your stepsister?" one asked.

"I…think it is," Derek answered.

"One, two. Freddy's coming for you," the first boy started out of the blue.

"Three, four. Better lock your door," a girl chanted.

"Five, six. Grab your crucifix," the second boy stated.

"Seven eight. Gonna stay up late," Casey sang.

"Nine, ten. Never sleep again," they all chorused together. Then, they laughed. One of the boys started playing air guitar and humming a rock riff. Casey laughed.

"That the music for your new song, Rod?" she asked.

"Thinkin' of usin' it," the boy named Rod admitted.

"I…think I may know of some lyrics you can use," Casey replied.

"Really?" Rod questioned, grabbing her jacket and pulling her close.

"Really," Casey confirmed. She put her hands around his neck and they began kissing. Derek and the hockey team stared in surprise.

"Whoa," they chorused.


	6. The Mall

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

OTwistedAngie10: Thanks. Wow, undying devotion, huh? Thanks.

BeeDiddy: Thanks. Here ya go.

Windyfontaine: Yep. Oh, you'll see. Yeah, I noticed that too. Thanks, you too.

MHxxPAPER DOLL: Thanks, glad you liked it. Glad you think so. Oh, you'll have to wait and see. Catch ya on the flip side! Lol.

Brian Runyon: Thanks. I'll be lookin' forward to it. Private message me when you get somethin' posted.

DISCLAIMER

Sorry it's taken so long. No excuse, just laziness. LWD belongs to Canadian Television. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. _American Pie_ belongs to Don McLean.

Derek stared in surprised as Casey and Rod continued kissing. _What the heck? This makes no sense_, he thought to himself. This Rod guy wasn't even her type. And yet, here she was, kissing him where everybody could see them. It was totally weird. Finally, they parted.

"That was---nice," Rod stated.

"Very nice," Casey agreed. They chuckled.

"So 'bout this music?" Rod asked.

"Unh-uh. Play now. Work later," Casey scolded.

"You're a music tease," Rod complained. Casey laughed merrily.

"Trust me. It'll be well worth the wait," she promised.

"Don't make me wait too long. We gotta go in a couple of days," he reminded her. Casey groaned.

"Don't remind me," she said unhappily, looking down. He put a finger underneath her chin and made it so that they were eye-to-eye.

"We'll just have to make 'em memorable," he told her.

"Yeah. I like the sound of that," she grinned. They chuckled again. Derek watched as the group continued on.

"That was---weird, man," Sam noted.

"Yeah, totally," Derek agreed. _I'm not sure I like this. Casey's not being herself_, he thought. Okay, yeah, they never got along, but he had always appreciated the fact that she stood up for herself and never let anybody change her. But now she was acting all wild and crazy. It wasn't her. He was worried. _Maybe I should talk to Nora_, he thought. Yeah, that was a good idea. She'd know what to do. She'd be able to talk some sense back into Casey…he hoped. He frowned. Where were these feelings coming from? With an irritated huff, he motioned for his entourage to follow him, which they gladly did, and they headed for the parking lot. Meanwhile, Casey and her friends, who were unaware of their brief audience, continued to walk through the mall. Casey sighed.

"What is it?" Rod asked.

"I've never been happier than when I'm with you," Casey replied. "I'm just---I'm just gonna be sorry to see you guys go," she continued. Rod blew out his own breath.

"Yeah, that's gonna bite," he agreed. The friends fell silent and continued walking through the mall. After a few minutes, Alex began humming the jump rope song again. Everybody laughed.

"Okay, okay. Out of all of us, which Elm Street character are we?" Casey wondered.

"Well, Rod---obvious," Jack stated.

"No kiddin'," Alex said.

"I always thought Case here was a mix of Tina and Nancy," Rod said.

"So, who am I?" Alex wondered.

"Total Nancy," Rod replied.

"And me?" Jack queried.

"Glenn," Rod, Casey, and Alex chorused. Everyone laughed.

"Great, I'm the geek who gets sucked through my bed," Jack complained good-naturedly.

"Consider yourself fortunate. You're not named for a guy who got hung," Rod retorted.

"Well, there is **that**," Jack agreed. They chuckled.

"You know what we should do? I mean, before we leave?" Alex asked.

"What?" the others asked.

"Have an Elm Street night. Just the four of us," Alex suggested.

"Mmmm. Yeah. _Nightmare On Elm Street_, the four us, popcorn…perfect," Casey agreed.

"You think your mom and step dad will allow it?" Jack questioned.

"I don't see why not," Casey responded. "I mean, hello? It's tradition," she continued. They chuckled. Then, Jack blew out a breath.

"Okay, I'm bored. Can we leave?" he requested.

"Sure, why not?" Rod agreed.

"I mean, after all, you **are** our ride," Casey kidded.

"Oooh, you're funny now," Jack mocked. They all laughed and walked out to the mall's parking lot.

"You know, maybe we should have our Elm Street night right before you guys leave. I can talk to Mom and George. I'm sure they'll say yes," Casey suggested.

"That'd be so cool," the others enthused. They laughed as Jack started the car and drove off.

"Long, long time ago. I remember how the music used to make me smile," they all heard

"Oh, I **love** this song!" Casey exclaimed. Jack instantly turned up the volume and everyone began singing.

"We were singin' 'Bye-bye, Miss American Pie'. Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry. Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whisky and rye, singin' 'This'll be the day that I die'," the group chorused together. Casey chuckled. She liked the way she felt with her friends. It was so much freer than the side she showed everyone else. Okay, yeah, she could've easily struck up friendships with other kids in the neighborhood and school, but after hearing everybody talk in the halls, she had determined that no one was into _Nightmare On Elm Street_ as much as she was and it wouldn't have been the same anyway. Eight minutes later, they were back at the MacDonald\Venturi house. After parking on the drive, they exited the car and headed into the house.

"And we were singin' 'Bye-bye, Miss American Pie'. Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry. Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whisky and rye, singin' 'This'll be the day that I die'," they all sang as they came through the front door.

"Casey, where have you been all day?" George demanded.

"We were hanging out. Okay, yes. I know I should've waited until you were up and ask, but it was like, **way** early and I didn't think you'd appreciate being woken up," Casey responded.

"Hey, didn't you say you had some music for me?" Rod reminded her.

"Oh, right!" Casey remembered. "The stuff's in my room. Lizzie can show you," she continued.

"Follow me," the younger girl stated. Then, she led the others up the stairs.

"Hey, Mom. Can the others and I have an Elm Street night tomorrow?" Casey requested.

"Well---" Nora began.

"Please? They're leaving in a couple of days. And it wouldn't be the same if we didn't have an Elm Street night," Casey pleaded. Nora couldn't help but give a rueful chuckle. Casey was right. It just wouldn't be the same for the group if they didn't have one of their nights.

"Mom?" Casey asked.

"Okay, honey. You guys can have your night," Nora replied with a small smile.

"Now, Nora---" George began to protest.

"Oh, George. What are the Elm Street Kids without an Elm Street night?" Nora asked.

"CASEY!" an annoyed Rod called.

"Oh! Coming! Thanks, Mom," Casey said, giving the woman a quick peck on the cheek, and then raced upstairs. Nora just shook her head and laughed.


	7. Music And Plans

DISCLAIMER

LWD belongs to Canadian Television. Most lyrics for the song are from "Battle of the Bands" and there is a reference to it, though I do own the third verse. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

When Casey got into her room, Rod was sitting on her bed, arms folded.

"If you don't mind?" she queried, looking at him. Rod huffed and got up.

"You're supposed to say that to me, not him," Jack commented.

"Well, the next time you sit on my bed, I will," Casey responded.

"The music, the music," Rod reminded her.

"What's the matter, Rod? Goin' through withdrawals?" Casey teased. Then, she moved past her friend and reached underneath her bed to pull out a notebook.

"Here you go. I wrote down the lyrics when Derek and I were in a school battle of the bands," she said. Rod looked over the words.

"What's this 'Na-na-na' stuff?" he asked.

"Oh, that's Derek's. The rest is mine," was her answer.

"So, how do you want this? Pop, rock, what?" Rod asked.

"Rock. _Enter Sandman_ style," Casey replied.

"Ah. This'll be simple," Rod grinned. Then, he hurriedly scribbled down music notes. Casey watched expectantly. What would he come up with?

"Done. I just need a guitar," Rod announced.

"Where's yours?" Casey wondered.

"Hotel," Rod answered.

"Well, I think Derek's guitar is still in his room. Good luck at finding it, though," Casey responded.

"No worries," Rod smirked. With that, he went out to the hall. He opened a door and shook his head when he saw the poster of the scantily clad woman. _**Gotta** be Derek's room_, he thought to himself. Then, he began perusing the mess, trying to find the guitar.

"Dude, can I help you with something?" a voice asked suddenly.

"You still got your guitar?" Rod questioned, without turning around. Derek moved past him and got the instrument from beside his bed.

"What do you need it for?" he wondered.

"Case gave me some lyrics, I put it to some music, and I wanna see what she thinks," was the answer.

"O…kay," the other boy said. _ I can't believe he's worried about what **Casey** thinks_, he thought with a roll of his eyes. However, out of curiosity, Derek followed Rod into Casey's room.

"Hey, I got it," the musician announced.

"That's great. Can we hear it?" Casey questioned.

"Follow me downstairs. I want the rest of your family to hear this," Rod answered. Eagerly, everyone did as requested and settled into the couches and chairs in the living room.

"What's going on?" George wondered as he and the rest of the MacDonald\Venturi household came into the room.

"Rod's got a new song," Casey announced.

"It's not really mine. I used Derek's 'Na-na-na' number and Casey's pop ballad, and turned it a rock hit," Rod said.

"So, let's hear it," Nora encouraged. Rod expertly strummed Derek's guitar in a rock riff.

_**We said it was over, but I never wanted it to end. **_

_**We said it was over, now it's hard to be your friend. We said it was over so let's not try and pretend. But it's hard to see you near me though our hearts will one day mend**_

_**We said it was over, and it was not over.**_

_**We said it was over, and it was not over.**_

_**We said it was over, and it was not over.**_

**_Na-na-na-na-na. Na-na-na-na-na._**

_**Vultures of love sing from above, and I'm sick of bein' on the wrong side of when push comes to shove. I try my hardest just to forget, but then you come around and my heart goes into reset.**_

_**We said it was over, and it was not over.**_

_**We said it was over, and it was not over.**_

_**We said it was over, and it was not over.**_

_**Na-na-na-na-na. Na-na-na-na-na.**_

**_Now I try to rearrange, even though every day's the same. My heart's been shattered, nothin' else matters. I stopped wantin' love, even though I gave another try. I stopped needin' love, 'cause all it ever did was make me cry. I stopped believin' in love, 'cause every time I'm hurt, I wanna do is die._**

**_We said it was over, but it was not over._**

_**We said it was over, but it was not over.**_

**_We said it was over, but it was not over. _**

_**Na-na-na-na-na. Na-na-na-na-na.**_

_**Na-na-na-na-na. Na-na-na-na-na.**_

_**Na-na-na-na-na. Na-na-na-na-na.**_

_**Yeah!**_

Derek watched as everyone cheered and applauded.

"Rod, that was excellent," Casey enthused.

"Yeah, you took Casey's **stupid** song and made it into something decent," Derek said.

"Derek!" Casey yelled.

"For your information, Case's lyrics were **awesome**. **You** were the one who played a 'Na-na-na' chorus as a whole song. So I wouldn't talk, dude," Rod defended, as he lay the guitar on the on the couch.

"Well, I hate to break this up, but we gotta go," Jack said. Casey groaned.

"No worries. We'll be back for Elm Street night," Rod assured.

"By the way, when is that?" Alex wondered.

"Tomorrow night," Casey said.

"Awesome," Jack grinned. Casey and the others said their good-byes and the four left.

"Elm Street night? What's that?" Edwin wondered.

"It's when Casey and the others get together, make some popcorn, and watch _Nightmare On Elm Street_," Lizzie replied.

"Hey, that sounds kinda fun," Derek noted.

"Yeah, well, you're not invited," Casey responded.

"It's my house, and I **always** get what I want," Derek reminded her smugly.

"Dude, are you an Elm Street kid? No. Casey is. This is all tradition. You don't mess with that," Rod stated.

"Wait a minute. If you wanna have your friends over to watch a movie, Casey, that's fine. But you can't just ban Derek from the room," George said.

"Mom?" Casey asked, turning to the woman. She'd understand why she wanted to be alone. Derek wasn't one of them.

"I'm sorry, Casey. I understand where you're coming from. Believe me, I do. But George's right. It wouldn't be fair to Derek," Nora agreed. Derek smirked.

"Okay," Casey agreed with a disappointed sigh. Jack, Alex, and Rod headed out.

"Great. See you guys tomorrow," Derek said cockily.

"Yeah. Just…try keep your mouth shut, tomorrow night, huh?" Rod responded. Derek's eyes widened. What was up with him? He looked to the other kids, who looked as equally displeased. _Sheesh. You'd think I butted in on some sacred ceremony or something_, the eldest Venturi thought, rolling his eyes as the door shut. For a moment, Casey glared. Then, she ran upstairs angrily. Derek scoffed and went to his own room.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

This chap was originally supposed to have Elm Street night as well, but I felt that the chap was becoming too long.


	8. Elm Street Night And Saying GoodBye

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

MHxxPAPER DOLL: Here you go. Hey, that's okay. Knowledge of the movie isn't imperative to enjoying the fic. That's fine. Merry belated Christmas.

MayMarie: Well, read on and see.

BeeDiddy: Thanks. Here's more. Sorry this isn't soon enough. Hope this chap is enjoyable.

JG (ch1): Thanks. Hope you **have** read it.

Thugalet: Thanks. Sorry this isn't soon enough.

Windyfontaine: Thanks. Perhaps. Not really a Dasey fic. Glad I could bring up happy memories. Here you go, merry belated Christmas.

Brian: Hey, cool. Yeah, that could work. I'm not sure if those can be faked, so you might wanna do some research first. If it's not realistic, I'd advise you to go with a different angle.

DISCLAIMER

LWD belongs to Canadian Television. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. Anyone interested in reading my Supernatural\Criminal Minds crossover can find it in the Criminal Minds section entitled Family Ties. I'm not sure how long some food takes to cook, so I'm taking liberties. Bold\italics is from NOES. The actual watching of the movie happens after the younger kids go to bed. Some implied Demily and a reference to chap 6.

The next morning, Casey found herself in the kitchen on her cell phone with Emily, complaining about the fact that her stepbrother had pushed his way into her last night with her friends.

"And Derek just like, totally butted in and forced himself into Elm Street night," she finished.

"You're having a movie night and you didn't invite me?" her friend asked.

"Em, you don't even like _Nightmare On Elm Street_," was the response. Emily fell silent. That was true. She didn't like that movie at all. But she still didn't understand why Casey was leaving her out. Ever since her friends from her old neighborhood had shown up, Casey had been totally ignoring her, and Emily had to admit, she felt left out.

"Can I come over anyway?" the girl asked.

"Sure, I suppose. I don't really know how much fun it'll be for you, though," was the answer. They talked some more, and then hung up. Casey sighed softly. She didn't know what to do. She didn't like the idea of everybody horning in on her last night with her friends. However, there wasn't anything she could do about it. The girl went about getting herself some breakfast. Presently, the rest of the family came down.

"Good morning, Casey," Nora said.

"Morning, Mom," Casey responded.

"You excited about tonight?" Nora questioned as she and the rest and the family got their own breakfast.

"Ecstatic," Casey grinned. She laughed. It'd be nice to have another Elm Street night. She hadn't had a night with her friends for so long. She wondered if Rod would dress up again. She grinned, remembering the last time they had had one of their movie nights. Rod had been in true form that night, reciting all the Rod and Freddy lines, getting the inflections perfect. Casey quickly finished her cereal and then continued getting ready for the day. After her usual morning chores were finished, grabbed a pencil and piece of paper and started making a list.

"What are you doing?" Derek asked.

"Making a list of everything we need to buy for tonight," Casey responded.

"Why?" Derek wondered.

"Because there's a lot of work that goes into Elm Street night. It doesn't just happen. You have to prepare for it," Casey answered, without looking up.

"Oh, please. You buy some food, get the movie, sit down, and watch it," Derek stated. Casey scoffed.

"Shows what **you** know," she replied. Just then, her phone rang. "Hello?" she queried.

"You got the list?" Rod asked.

"Good morning to you too," Casey laughed. Then, "Of course I have the list. Who do you think you're talking to?"

"Okay. We'll be by in a few minutes to pick you up," Rod said.

"That's great. See ya soon," Casey stated. She hung up.

"I wish **I** was old enough to be part of the Elm Street Kids," Lizzie moped. In their old neighborhood, she had always watched Casey and her friends take on Elm Street and envisioned herself doing the same. But now, it didn't look like that was going to happen.

"Hey, you have your own little group in Elm Street," Casey reminded her.

"Yeah, but it's not the same. You guys are so cool. **Every**one wants to be an Elm Street Kid," Lizzie continued somewhat dejectedly.

"Hey. You don't have to be in our shadow. You be who **you** want to be. The Elm Street Kids is just a group. It doesn't completely define us and it shouldn't be that way for you. Just be the best Lizzie you can be," Casey encouraged. The younger girl smiled. Before anyone could say anything else, a car horn sounded.

"Oooh! That's them! Gotta go, bye!" Casey exclaimed, and then rushed out.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Derek exclaimed, quickly running after her.

"Why's your stepbrother following us?" Rod wondered.

"Slight change of plans: he and a friend of mine are watchin' the movie with us," Casey explained.

"Aw, man," the group groaned together.

"Well, Derek's out of my control, and my friend Emily's been feeling left out lately," Casey stated.

"Well, we can't have **that**. I mean, any friend of yours is a friend of ours," Jack commented. Derek got into the backseat of the car.

"What's the best store?" Jack wondered.

"There's an Albertson's nearby," Casey answered. She then gave him the directions. Derek tried to make himself comfortable as Jack drove off. When they got to the score, the kids spread out. Derek hurried after Rod.

"So, what's going on?" he questioned.

"I'm gettin' the drinks and the popcorn," Rod responded.

"So, what? You guys just get everything hours before the movie and hope nothing goes bad?" Derek asked.

"You kiddin' me? Preparin' for Elm Street night takes all day. I mean, not only do we need to buy the provisions, but we gotta make stuff out of it," Rod told him. A few minutes later, the group met at the checkout counter. After paying for the food, they headed back for the MacDonald\Venturi household. As soon as they entered the house, they each went to work. Presently, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Rod offered. He went to the front door.

"Hi. Is Casey here?" Emily questioned.

"Yo, Casey! Visitor!" Rod shouted. With a laugh, Casey came out of the kitchen.

"Emily. Hey," she greeted as Rod went back to help his friends.

"Hey," Emily acknowledged. Then, as she looked towards the kitchen, "What's going on?"

"Oh, we're getting ready for Elm Street night," Casey replied.

"You're making a whole night of it?" Emily asked in surprise.

"Oh, yeah," Casey replied. "Come on, I'll introduce you to everybody," she continued. Then, she walked into the kitchen with her friend right behind her.

"Hey, who's this?" Jack questioned.

"Guys, this is Emily. Emily, this are my best friends Rod, Alex, and Jack," Casey introduced them.

"Hi," Emily said.

"Hey," they all chorused.

"How's the Cherry Jubilee comin'?" Casey wondered.

"I think it's gonna be my best ever," Alex said.

"Well, I'm lookin' forward to Rod's Popcorn Surprise," Jack declared.

"What's the surprise?" Derek wondered from his position on a counter.

"That's for us to know, and you to find out," Rod responded.

"You know, you **could** help us here," Alex snapped.

"Hey, **you**'**re** the guests. I can have you all thrown out," Derek stated.

"Hey, back off, Derek. And if you're not gonna help, at least get out of our way," Casey snarled.

"Don't tell me what to do. If you're not nicer, I'll have Dad and Nora call the whole thing off," Derek threatened.

"Bite me with a twirling lawnmower," Casey retorted. Rod, Alex, and Jack bit back chuckles. Finally, hours later, all the preparations were done. As the others placed the food on the table, Casey took out the DVD and put it in the machine. Instantly, eerie music was heard as the menu came up. Rod turned off the lights and Casey pressed the 'play' button. Everyone sat down, Casey with her friends on the couch and Emily and Derek on the floor. **_A man let out a raspy chuckle as he let his hands search along the work bench._**

"Oh, look at how he makes the glove," Alex noted appreciatively.

"**_Tina". "Tina"_**. There was an evil chuckle. Emily shivered and moved closer to Derek. **_Tina ran through the boiler room as Freddy chased after her. Off-screen, a goat bleated. _**

"I wonder why they used a goat in this movie," Derek commented.

"You know, I always wondered that myself," Casey agreed as Rod slung an arm around her. Emily jumped when Freddy jumped out of nowhere behind Tina.

"_**You okay, Tina?" Mrs. Gray asked.**_

"_**Just a nightmare, Ma," Tina responded.**_

"**_Some nightmare judging from that," the woman noted. Tina looked down at her nightgown to see four angry slash marks._**

"Ooooh, that's so creepy," Emily shivered. Then, the jump rope song started.

"One, two. Freddy's comin' for you. Three, four. Better lock your door. Five, six, grab your crucifix. Seven, eight. Gonna stay up late. Nine, ten. Never sleep again," Rod, Alex, Jack, and Casey sang. Derek rolled his eyes in annoyance and grabbed a fistful of popcorn. He hoped they didn't make a habit of reciting the movie lines. The four laughed at their favorite parts, including when the sound effect tape went haywire on Glenn.

"I love that part," Alex hooted. Then, came the first mention of Freddy Krueger.

"_**What'd you dream?" Tina asked.**_

"_**I dreamed about a guy in a dirty red and green sweater," Nancy responded.**_

"_**Well, what about the fingernails?" Tina wondered.**_

"_**Well, he scraped his fingernails along things," Nancy answered. Then, she went on stating that they were more like finger-knives.**_

"Screeeeeeee," Casey said along with Nancy. Rod laughed. Then was the part where they heard a noise. Tina and Nancy forced Glenn to go outside and check it out.

"This is the only part that I don't like. That they have the guy being the only 'brave' one," Casey said with a roll of her eyes. Emily screamed when someone came out of the bushes.

"**_And it's Rod Lane bringin' Lantz down just three yards from the goal line! What a brilliant tackle, and the fans go wild!"_** Casey laughed. As the movie progressed, Derek found Emily continually screaming and reaching for him. Something he didn't **completely** hate.

"**_Nancy."_** **_Surprised, Nancy looked to see her friend Tina covered in a body bag._** **_ She followed the blood trail._** **_As she went down the hall, she was surprised to see leaves falling. When she opened the next door, she found herself in a boiler room._**

"**_Tina?" Nancy asked. She heard strange laughter. "Tina?" she asked again. "T---Tina?"_** **_Then, Freddy appeared. "Who are you?" Nancy asked._**

"Oh, that's so gross," Emily moaned when Freddy sliced himself. Casey and her friends said nothing, but kept eating from the assortment of food. As the teens watched the film, Nora and George occasionally checked in on them. On one of these visits, they ran into Marti.

"Daddy, I need to go to the bathroom," the little girl said sleepily.

"Okay, let's go," George said. He hoisted Marti up into the air. "Here we go," he stated. As he took his daughter to the faculties, Nora peeked into the living room to see Heather Langenkamp and Johnny Depp running up the stairs that led to the police station.

"Hey, this is a good part," she commented. She watched as the teens argued with the adults until they were allowed to go visit their friend.

"**_RO---O---O---OD!" Nancy screamed when she saw her friend hanging from the window._** As soon as the officers started lowering the teen to the ground, Nora went back to bed. Emily gasped and buried her head in Derek's shoulder.

"Hey, no worries. It's just a movie," he told her.

"This is horrible. How can you guys watch this?" Emily wondered. However, she received no answer. The movie continued. After the scene where Nancy pulled the Krueger's hat from her dream, Emily stood up.

"Emily, are you okay?" Casey asked, momentarily taking her eyes off the screen.

"I'm going home. You guys are crazy," Emily responded.

"You crazy? You can't go alone. It's pitch black out there," Alex protested.

"I'll walk her," Derek offered.

"Thanks, Derek," Emily sighed in relief. He and Emily walked out. A few seconds later, he came back alone.

"What'd I miss?" Derek wondered, settling down into his previous position.

"They're just now explaining who Krueger is," Casey answered. They were quiet as Marge Thompson explained who Krueger had been and what he had done.

"Man, that's a bunch of croc," Derek muttered when he heard about the technicality that had set the man free. On the screen, Marge told Nancy what they had done in retaliation.

"**_But he can't get you now. He's dead honey, because Mommy killed him," Marge said. "I even took his knives," she continued, unwrapping the cloth._** **_Nancy recoiled when she saw the glove and rusty blades._** The group watched as Nancy made plans to battle Krueger. Then, they came onto the famous bed scene.

"And there I go," Jack said as Glen screamed as he was sucked down the hole. Then, Nancy went about setting her trap. When Nancy woke up from the dream, Derek relaxed.

"_**I'm crazy after all," Nancy sighed. Freddy jumped through a mirror! Nancy screamed and ran through the house.**_

"Man, the cops are so stupid," Jack said in disgust.

"What do you expect from television?" Alex asked. Then, they were silent until the final showdown. **_The sheet on the bed rose and tore until it revealed Freddy._**

"_**I know you're there, Freddy," Nancy said.**_

"**_You think you was gonna get away from me?" Freddy asked._** Everyone watched as Nancy went on to say that it was too late, that she now knew the secret to defeating him. She turned around and told him that she wanted her mother and friends back and that she was renouncing the power she had given him.

"You're nothing." She walked away with Krueger at her heels. When he went to attack, he disappeared. When she opened the door, it was bright outside. After a short conversation with her mother, Nancy's friends came to pick her up and she got into the car.

"Uh-oh. Here it comes," Casey said as the top of the convertible came down. A few minutes later, Nancy started screaming for her mother. Three little girls played jump rope and sang the Freddy song. Casey turned off the DVD.

"Okay, we gotta go. We still need to pack," Rod said. With that, her friends walked out the door and left. The next morning, after everybody had finished breakfast, there was a honk outside the house.

"Casey, your friends are here," Derek said needlessly. Casey went outside.

"Hi, everyone," she greeted as she approached the car.

"Hey, girl," Rod said back.

"I'm gonna miss you guys," she moped.

"Hey, we'll be back," Rod assured.

"We gotta go. I promised my dad that we'd be right behind him," Jack said. They said their good byes and headed off. Casey stood on the drive and waved until her friends were out of sight. Though she was sad to see them leave, she was comforted by the fact that their friendship hadn't changed and that she'd always be the Elm Street Queen.

THE END


End file.
